ERGNETI, 17 January 2023 - The 110th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti today, under the co-facilitation of Dr. Tibor Kozma, Acting Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and Ambassador Viorel Moşanu, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.
The EUMM and OSCE representatives commended the commitment of the participants to the IPRM format. Ambassador Moşanu referred to the priorities of the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia and vowed to continue previous efforts on improving the situation of the conflict-affected population on the ground.
The co-facilitators welcomed the temporary opening of two crossing points along the South Ossetian Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) in late December, while expressing their regrets that a similar approach was not applied during the Orthodox Christmas period. Further, the co-facilitators reiterated their calls for the full re-opening of crossing points for regular cross-ABL traffic that would allow the conflict-affected populations to live more safely as well as better secure their livelihoods.
Dr. Kozma and Ambassador Moşanu also voiced their concern about the continuously high number of active detention cases, advocating for their immediate release.
IPRM participants discussed recent emergency evacuations, as well as issues that impact the security situation and livelihoods of the conflict-affected population, including continued ‘borderisation’ activities.
The participants agreed to convene the next IPRM on 2 March 2023 and a technical meeting on water irrigation issues on 3 March 2023.
